MBN USA Portal

MBN USA

May 28, 2025

USHCC wraps successful Energy Summit

The United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce successfully hosted its 4th Annual Energy Summit from April 29 to May 1, 2025, at the Eldorado Hotel & Spa in Santa Fe, New Mexico in partnership with the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce. A resounding success, the event reinforced the USHCC’s position as a national convener and thought leader at the intersection of energy and small business.

With participation from more than 250 leading voices in the energy industry—from energy executives and policymakers to small business owners and 21 newly graduated suppliers now prepared to enter the energy value chain—the Summit offered a powerful platform for small businesses to become a part of the future of American energy. Check out the key highlights that made this Summit especially impactful:

1. Welcome Reception at Governor’s Mansion

The Summit opened with an exclusive evening at the historic New Mexico Governor's Mansion, where Hispanic business trailblazers connected with energy industry executives and policymakers, led by Ramiro A. Cavazos, USHCC President & CEO, and Jackie Puente, USHCC Board Chairwoman.

This set the collaborative tone that would define the entire Summit, sparking the relationships and conversations that would lead to tangible business opportunities. This included keynote speakers Melanie Kenderdine, Cabinet Secretary at New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, and Tom Stricker, Group Vice President, Sustainability and Regulatory Affairs at Toyota Motor North America.

2. National Convening & Strategic Partnerships

The Summit brought together top energy executives, policymakers, and Hispanic business enterprises including Toyota, Chevron, Shell, Williams, American Petroleum Institute, Avangrid, ConocoPhillips, Vistra, Oncor, Enbridge, Xcel Energy, and Accenture.

A key moment was the signing of a new partnership between the USHCC and Natural Allies for a Clean Energy Future to advance an all-of-the-above energy strategy while creating new opportunities for small and Hispanic-owned businesses. Former Congressman Tim Ryan, Co-Chair of Natural Allies' Leadership Council, emphasized: "Recognizing the benefits of natural gas when partnering with renewables and other energy innovations will help build our economy and the economic future that Americans deserve. I am excited to see Natural Allies' partner with the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Your voices are critical."

3. AI & Infrastructure Innovation

In the "Role of AI and Data Centers in the Evolving Energy Landscape" fireside chat, Vivek Chidambaram, Senior Managing Director at Accenture, demonstrated how artificial intelligence is transforming the energy sector, with potential to impact 33-67% of work hours across the value chain. During the "The Role of Energy in National Resilience and Economic Strength" panel, industry leaders emphasized accelerating investment to meet growing demands from AI, electrification, and manufacturing reshoring.

4. Balanced Energy Strategy & Hispanic Business Opportunity

In her keynote about how small and Hispanic-owned businesses are vital to the growth of the sector, former Senator Mary Landrieu noted, "We must embrace a unified, balanced approach that values innovation, protects affordability, and brings small and Hispanic businesses to the forefront." This approach includes natural gas, renewables, hydrogen, and carbon capture technologies, creating significant procurement opportunities across the entire energy value chain.

5. Real Business Impact & Momentum

The Summit celebrated the graduation of 21 companies from the fourth cohort of USHCC's signature program, Avanzando Suppliers with Blue Wave—made possible thanks to the support of JPMorgan Chase. This brings the total graduates to over 100 since 2023. This impressive group represented 13 states with more than 70% women-led businesses, primarily in construction, wholesale trade, and professional services. In an exciting development, Toyota announced its support for the next Avanzando cohort through its Green Builds Business framework, specifically focused on sustainabilitydriven suppliers ready to scale and offer environmentally responsible solutions to meet evolving procurement demands.

6. Inaugural Women in Energy Celebration

The Summit's grand finale took center stage at the iconic Santa Fe Opera with the inaugural Women in Energy Celebration, headlined by Enbridge Executive Vice President & President of Gas Transmission & Midstream Cynthia Hansen's compelling keynote on breaking barriers in energy leadership. This landmark gathering recognized trailblazing women driving transformation across infrastructure, engineering, policy, and procurement, establishing what will become a signature annual USHCC tradition dedicated to amplifying women's voices and achievements in shaping America's energy future.

From powerful keynote sessions to procurement roundtables and industry-led panels on affordability, sustainability, cybersecurity, and regulatory developments, the USHCC continues to bridge the energy divide by amplifying small business voices, driving supplier readiness, and advocating for an affordable energy future. Building on this momentum, the USHCC will keep small businesses at the center of the conversation this fall at its 46th Annual National Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, taking place September 21–23, 2025. Register today!